Portable wire reel holder



July 28, 1959 c. H. VAUGHN PORTABLE WIRE REEL HOLDER Filed March 17, 1958 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IIH/ g "P m /7 %/T 3 I- I M A if 0 W1]! A I4 3 \i f/ 65 Charles H. Vaughn INVENTOR.

1 BY Mm July 28, 1959 c, H, VAUGHN 2,896,877

PORTABLE WIRE REEL HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 17. 1958 Charles h. Vaughn 23 1N VEN TOR.

By 2mm WW Hm United States Patent Ofitice 2,896,877. Patented July 28, 1959 PORTABLE WIRE REEL HOLDER Charles H. Vaughn, Mount Sterling, Ky. Application March 17, 1958, Serial No. 721,823

4 Claims. (Cl. 242-86.)

My invention relates to improvements in portable holders for reels of barbed wire.

By way of premise, barbed wire is commonly unwound along fence rows from a reel by two men carrying the reel on a crow bar or the like for rotation therein to unwind the wire. This practice frequently results in tearing of the clothes and cutting of the hands of the men, and is laborious and time consuming.

Having the foregoing in mind, the primary object of my invention is to provide a labor and time saving portable wire reel holder for operation by one man to unwind barbed wire from a reel along a fence row or the like without tearing clothes or injuring the operator.

To the accomplishment of the above, and subordinate objects presently appearing, my invention provides a two wheeled cart for pulling along a fence or the like by an operator and which embodies means for rotatably supporting a reel of barbed wire for unwinding rotation about an axis perpendicular to the cart, and at a remote safe distance from the operator, together with means for reducing to a minimum friction incident to rotation of the reel, the cart being constructed with a low center of gravity to obviate tipping over and for easy pulling over obstructions tending to raise the wheels off the ground and the reel supporting means being adequately braced against pull of the Wire in unwinding all as illustrated in the accompanying drawings and set forth in detail in the following description and appended claims.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of my invention in a preferred embodiment thereof;

Figure 2 is a view in plan;

Figure 3 is an enlarged view in vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 33 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is an enlarged View in vertical cross section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings by .numerals, the cart of my invention designated generally by the ntuneral 1 comprises a flat bed 3 of sheet iron for strength and lightness in weight having a main section 5 and a front end extension section 7 inclined upwardly from the main section 5 so that the bed may ride easily over obstacles in a field and high weeds or the like when the cart 1 is pulled forwardly. The main section 5 is provided with a pair of bent up reinforcing side flanges 9 and the front end section 7 is provided with a similar pair of side flanges 11. The pairs of side flanges 9 and 11 are arranged in end overlapping relation and bolted to each other as at 13.

A pair of strap iron braces 15 converging forwardly in V-formation are secured by bolts 17 on the main section 5 and extend forwardly up the front end section 7 from opposite sides of the main section, said braces fitting flatly against said sections 5, 7 and being secured to the front end section 7 in a manner presently seen. The bolted together flanges 9, 11 and the braces strongly reinforce the bed 5 against being bent by contact with obstructions.

A hollow axle 19 in the form of a. pipe extends transversely over the main section 5 in the approximate transverse center of said section and through openings 21 in the side flanges 9 and is provided outwardly of the side flanges 9 with a pair of rubber tired ground wheels 23 journaled therein between pairs of washers 25 on said axle. Cotter pins 27 in the axle 19 retain the wheels 23 on the axle. Thus the bed 3 is supported in underslung position on the wheel axle which overlies said section 5 of the bed 3 for a reason presently seen. An

I inverted sheet iron channel housing 29 for the axle 19 extends transversely of the section 5 from the flange 9 to the other and is provided with longitudinal side flanges 31 bolted, as at 33, flatly to said section. As will be noted the housing 29 also braces the section 5 of the bed 3 transversely.

A long wooden tongue 35 for pulling the cart 1 forwardly is provided. The tongue 35 is of rectangular cross section and extends forwardly of the bed 3 in the longitudinal center thereof and is detachably attached at a rear end 37 thereof in a sheet iron channel member 39 on the bottom and in the longitudinal center of the front end section 7, said channel member 39 having side flanges as at 41, bolted as at 43 to the front end section 7. A cross bolt 45 in said channel member 39 and rear end 37 of the tongue detaohably attaches said tongue. A metal cap 47 is provided on the front end of the tongue 35 and a hand grip cross bar 49 of wood is bolted as at 51 through said cap and tongue. The channel member 39 acts both as a socket for attaching the tongue 35 and a longitudinal bottom center brace rigidifying the front end section 7 of the bed 3 on which the tongue 35 pulls.

A shorter optionally usable auxiliary tongue 53 for pulling the cart 1 comprises a U-shaped metal rod mernber extending forwardly of the bed 3 over the tongue 35 and has its sides 55 slidably confined in a pair of sheet iron channel members 57 extending longitudinally along the inner sides of the side flanges 11 and having longitudinal side flanges 59 bolted as at 61' to said side flanges 11. The sides 55 of the tongue 53 are terminally bent at right angles to engage the channel members 57 under pull on said tongue 53. As will be seen the channel members 57 provide means for attaching the auxiliary tongue 53 to the side flanges. 11 of the bed and act as braces reinforcing and'rigidifying said flanges 11.

Means is provided on-the cart for rotatably supporting in elevated position on the cart a conventional reel, or spool 63 having a roll 65 of barbed wire Wound thereon and comprising the following. A spindle 67 in the form of a pipe rises from the center of the axle 19 and through a central opening 69 in the housing 29 and is welded to the axle 19, as at 71. The spindle 67 extends upwardly perpendicularly to the axle 19 and the main section 5 of the bed 3 through and above an upright brace sleeve 73, in the form of a pipe, seated and preferably welded, as at 75, on the housing 29. The sleeve 73 is braced against vibration laterally of the bed 3 by a pair of upright angulated diagonal brace bars 77 at opposite sides thereof terminally fastened to the housing 29 by bolts 79 and to the sleeve 73 by welding 81. V

A split cylindrical clamp collar'83 on an intermediate part of the spindle 67 seats on the upper end of the sleeve 73 and rotatably seats thereon a larger diameter washer rotatable on the spindle 67. The washer 85 rotatably supports a larger diameter annular metal disk 86 rotatable on the spindle 67 and which in turn supports a reel or spool 63 of barbed wire 65 rotatably fitted on the spindle 67.

The collar forms part of means for bracing the intermediate portion of the spindle 67 against pull of barbed wire rearwardly as it is unwound from the roll 65. The

remainder of this means comprises a tie rod 87 extending forwardly from said collar 83 and bolted at one end, as at 87, thereto by a clamping bolt for the collar. The other end of the tie rod 87 extends through a slot 89 in and is bolted, as at 91, in an inverted channel member 93 like channel member 39. This channel member is bolted by the bolts 43 on top of the section 7 to extend along and over channel member 39 and over the front ends of the braces 15 to secure said braces to the section 7.

' Means is provided for bracing the spindle at its upper end against rearward pull of wire being unwound and functioning as hold down means for the reel or spool, 63. This means comprises a removable split clamping collar 97 on the upper end of the spindle 67 above said reel 63 with a clamping bolt 99 thereon, a split removable clamping collar 101 on the tongue 35 having a clamping bolt 103 therein and a tie rod 105 terminally looped around said bolts 99,- 103 and extending forwardly from the spindle 67 to said tongue 35 for vertical swinging thereof and of the collar 97 thereon to detach and replace the collar 97 as shown in broken lines in Figure 3.

The operation of my invention will be readily understood. A reel 63 loaded with barbed wire 65 is slid onto the spindle 67 to seat on the disk 86 and the collar 97 is attached to the spindle above the reel all as shown in the drawings. An operator may then by means of either handle 35 or 53 pull the cart 1 forwardly to unwind the barbed wire along a fence row. The section 7 imparts to the bed 3 a sled-like operation over obstructions and renders the bed easy to pull over such obstructions as well as tall grass or grain. The bed 3 being underslung imparts to the cart 1 a low center of gravity [for stabilizing the same against lateral tipping. As will be seen the cart is strongly constructed yet light in weight and durable and friction incident to rotation of the reel 63 in unwinding wire is negligible due to the rotary disk 86 having small surface engagement with washer and the latter being rotatable on the collar 83. The handle 53 may be used by an operator when a short handle is desired.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A portable wire reel holder for unwinding barbed wire from a reel comprising a two wheeled cart having a bed, a pair of ground wheels at opposite sides of the bed, an axle for said wheels transverse to and above said bed, means mounting said bed on said axle in underslung position to provide the cart with a low center of gravity, a tongue extending forwardly from said bed for pulling the cart, an upright spindle fixed to and rising centrally from said axle, and means on said spindle for rotatably supporting a reel of barbed wire on said spindle in elevated position for unwinding of barbed wire in response to forward travel of the cart, a detachable hold down collar on the upper end of said spindle for a reel of barbed wire, and a tie rod for bracing the spindle against rearward pull of barbed wire being unwound from a reel, said rod being terminally pivoted to said collar and tongue for upward swinging to detach said collar.

2. A portable wire reel holder for unwinding barbed wire from a reel comprising atwo wheeled cart having a bed, a pair of ground wheels at opposite sides of the bed, an axle for said wheels transverse to and above said bed, means mounting said bed on said axle in underslung position to provide the cart with a low center of gravity, a tongue extending forwardly from said bed for pulling the cart, an upright spindle fixed to and rising centrally from said axle, and means on said spindle for rotatably supporting a reel of barbed wire on said spindle in elevated position for unwinding of barbed wire in response to forward travel of the cart, a transverse protective housing for said axle fixed on top of said bed, said means for supporting a reel of barbed wire comprising a sleeve surrounding said spindle and.

rising from said housing, a collar on said spindle seated on top of said sleeve, a rotatable washer on said spindle seated on said collar, and an annular disk rotatable on said spindle and seated on said washer.

3. A portable wire reel holder for unwinding barbed wire from a reel comprising a two wheeled cart having a bed, a pair of ground wheels at opposite sides of the bed, an axle for said wheels transverse to and above said bed, means mounting said bed on said axle in underslung position to provide the cart with a low center of gravity, a tongue extending forwardly from said bed for pulling the cart, an upright spindle fixed to and rising centrally from said axle, means on said spindle for rotatably supporting a reel of barbed wire on said spindle in elevated position for unwinding of barbed wire in response to forward travel of the cart, said bed having an upwardly and forwardly inclined front end section for enabling said cart to ride over obstructions, upstanding side flanges on said section, a pair of channel members on said flanges, and a U-shaped handle having sides disposed in said members and inclining upwardly and forwardly of said section.

4. A portable wire reel holder for unwinding barbed wire from a reel comprising a two wheeled cart having a bed, a pair of ground wheels at opposite sides of the bed, an axle for said wheels transverse to and above said bed, means mounting said bed on said axle in underslung position to provide the cart with a low center of gravity, a tongue. extending forwardly from said bed for pulling the cart, an upright spindle fixed to and rising centrally from said axle, means on said spindle for rotatably supporting a reel of barbed wire on said spindle in elevated position for unwinding of barbed wire in response to forward travel of the cart, a transverse protective housing for said axle fixed on top of said bed, said means for supporting a reel of barbed wire c'omprising a sleeve surrounding said spindle and rising from said housing, a collar on said spindle seated on top of said sleeve, a rotatable washer on said spindle seated on said collar, and an annular disk rotatable on said spindle and seated on said washer, a brace rod for said spindle extending from said collar forwardly to said bed and boltedat one end to said collar, and means for attaching the other end of said brace rod to said bed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,064,883 Bergland .ua-v June 17, 1913 

